Plants and Plant Products

Please note alternative arrangements apply to the movement of retail goods by authorised traders.

Before moving plants or plant products from GB to NI, the business receiving the goods in NI (the consignee) must:

• Check if the plant or plant product being moved is regulated. If they are regulated, follow the steps below:
• Register as a Professional Operator and apply to become a Registered Authorised Professional Operator
  (Note: You must have a business address in Northern Ireland)
• Find out what customs procedures apply and avail, if required, of the free Trader Support Service which provides assistance with completing customs declarations.
• Ensure they are registered on TRACES.NT (the online EU system used to pre-notify SPS goods entering EU territory).
• Obtain a colour scanned copy of the phytosanitary certificate. This is issued by the GB competent authority to the GB supplier (consignor). The original phytosanitary certificate should accompany the consignment. Temporary measures introduced under EU emergency Covid legislation provide easement to this requirement where an electronic copy of the original phytosanitary certificate is currently acceptable on condition that the original certificate is provided as soon as technically feasible.
• Pre-notify DAERA Plant Health Inspection Branch giving at least 24 hours advance notice of the arrival of the consignment by completing a Common Health Entry Document for Plant Products (CHED PP) on TRACES.NT.
• Ensure the phytosanitary certificate is attached to the CHED PP including additional declarations where applicable and any supplementary documentation. It is important to declare the vehicle registration number or trailer number on the CHED PP, the NI Port of arrival and the time the consignment is expected to arrive in NI.
• Ensure that plants and plant products moving from GB-NI enter NI at a seaport or airport that has EU designation for plants, plant products and other objects.
• Ensure that any wood packaging material moving from GB to NI is ISPM15 compliant (heat treated and stamped).
• Follow the groupage guidance for consignments being moved under the groupage scheme.
• Certain fresh fruit and vegetables (including hops and hop products) may be subject to specific marketing standards.
• If the plant products are organic then you must also meet the requirements for organics products.
• For both regulated and non-regulated consignments, customs formalities will be required to be completed on the HMRC Trader Support Service.

On arrival in Northern Ireland

• Consignments must be fully compliant with the requirements of the Official Controls Regulation to enter Northern Ireland. Further information on checks and compliance is available in the Compliance Protocol document.
• DAERA Plant Health Inspection Branch undertake 100% documentary checks for all regulated plants and plant products moving from GB-NI using information provided on the CHED PP and the Phytosanitary Certificate. A risk based approach is used to select consignments for identity and physical inspection.
• Where goods or machinery require physical inspection the driver must follow the signs to the designated inspection facilities at the port.
• The original phytosanitary certificate must be returned within 5 working days to DAERA Plant Health Inspection Branch at the following address:

Notes

• Used agricultural and forestry machinery moving from GB-NI must be washed and clean to ensure there is no risk of transporting quarantine organisms or pathogens. As a temporary measure, pre-notification and official certificates will not be required for used agricultural and forestry machinery moving from GB to a consignee in NI. 
• Used agricultural and forestry machinery moving from GB to a consignee in RoI via a NI port must be accompanied by a valid phytosanitary certificate and pre-notified to DAERA Plant Health with a CHED-PP on TRACES NT. 
• Personal imports of regulated plants and plant products moving from GB-NI must comply with EU Regulations.
• Growing medium composed entirely of pure peat or coir that has not previously been used for the growing of plants or used for any agricultural purposes may be moved from GB-NI.
• Soil / growing medium attached to or associated with plants and plant products is permitted under certain circumstances and must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate confirming the consignment meets the special requirements  detailed in Annex VII of (EU) 2019/2072 and corresponding special requirements for protected zones in Annex X of (EU) 2019/2072.
• Prohibited plants listed in EU legislation (EU) 2018/2019 and Annex VI of 2019/2072 are not permitted to move from GB-NI.
• Specific queries should be forwarded to: planthealth.info@daera-ni.gov.uk.

Further information

• Plant and tree health | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.
• Movement Assistance Scheme
• Digital Assistance Scheme

Moving plants and plant products into Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland from EU via the GB landbridge

• Plants and plant products transported between mainland Europe to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland can use GB as a landbridge.
• Consignments must commence transit at an office of departure or from the premises of an authorised consignor in the EU.
• Consignments must end transit at an office of destination or at the premises of authorised consignee.
• There is no requirement for pre-notification or for a phytosanitary certificate for regulated plants and plant products moving EU-GB-EU where the consignment is moving under a customs transit procedure. However, regulated plants and plant products must have a valid EU plant passport. There is no requirement for wood packaging material to be ISPM 15 compliant when moving goods EU-GB-EU under a customs transit procedure.